This time Scientific Bangladesh has talked with Dr Md Abdul Aziz. He is a research scientist II
(Associate Professor) in Centre of Research Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT), King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia.
He things that eagerness to learn and desire to do something for human being is very important for researchers.
Scientific Bangladesh: Would you like to tell us about your academic and research life? other way, how would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: I am Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz. I received my B.Sc. (Hons.) in Chemistry at 1999 and M. Sc. in Organic Chemistry in 2001 from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. I obtained my PhD degree in Analytical Chemistry in August 2009 from BioMEMS and Nano electrochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Pusan National University, South Korea. My PhD thesis title was “Preparation and application of nanomaterial-modified indium tin oxide electrodes”. Next, I continued my research as a postdoctoral fellow of Brain Korea 21 in the same laboratory for two months. Then I was awarded postdoctoral fellowship of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). As a JSPS fellow, I continued my research in the Nanomaterial Laboratory, Department of Material Chemistry, and Kyoto University, Japan from November 2009 to October 2011. Afterward, I joined as a Postdoctoral fellow in Chemistry Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia, and completed several research projects on nanomaterials-based analytical chemistry before September 2013. In September 2013, I joined as research scientist III (Assistant Professor) at Centre of Research Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT), KFUPM. Now I am serving as research scientist II (Associate Professor) in the same institute.
2.Scientific Bangladesh: What has made you researcher and/or teacher? In other way, what is the story behind your becoming researcher?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: I received significant support from my family members and academic supervisors to become researcher. In addition, I got significant support from my friends, students, collaborators colleagues, juniors and seniors in my career. For well judgement, here I should mention all of my Academic advisors names: (i) Professor Dr. Md. Azizur Rahman (M.Sc. Supervisor, Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh), (ii) Professor Dr. Haesik Yang ( PhD Supervisor, Department of Chemistry, Pusan National University, South Korea), (iii) Professor Dr. Munetaka Oyama (JSPS postdoc supervisor, Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto Unversity, Japan), (iv) Professor Dr. Abdel-Nasser Kawde (postdoc supervisor, Chemistry department, KFUPM, Saudi Arabia). On the other hand, I got/am getting significant supports from Professor Dr. Zain H. Yamani (Director, CENT, KFUPM, Saudi Arabia). Overall, I had firm determination to become researcher. Above-mentioned factors made me researchers.
3.Scientific Bangladesh: How do you manage fund for research? From where you get fund for research?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: I always keep open my eyes for getting funding opportunity from government/industrial/university funding source etc. Based on the merit of my proposal, i have received several research funds.
4. Scientific Bangladesh: Inadequate fund for research is a major problem in Bangladesh. What would you say in response to pointing fingers by many to this basic problem worldwide, not only in Bangladesh?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: Well it is partially true for Bangladesh. Funding problem also have more /less in other countries also. However, Bangladeshi academician and researchers should take step to do some works with collaborating foreign scholars including Bangladeshi scholars who are faculties in foreign countries. Bangladeshi faculties/researchers can get good students for performing excellent research. Moreover, Bangladesh has a lot of resources and problems. The good students, Bangladeshi resources and problems could be used as key factors for performing good researches. Bangladeshi Academician/researcher should come forward to utilize these opportunities.
5.Scientific Bangladesh: What is your research area? What type of research facilities/ infrastructures you have or developed over years and how?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: My research interests are (i) preparation and characterization of nanomaterial on solid surfaces as well as in solution and powder form and carbonaceous materials , (ii) immobilization of pre-synthesized nanomaterial on solid surface, micropatterning of nanomaterial, functionalization of nanomaterial and (iii) application of nanomaterials/ carbonaceous materials in chemical sensor, biosensor, gas sensor, water splitting, CO2 reduction, supper capacitor fabrication etc. I have all modern research facilities in my lab/institute what are retired for above mentioned researches.
6.Scientific Bangladesh: Tell us about your publications and patent, if any. Tell more about your most liked publication/s and/or patents.
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: Now I am serving as research scientist II (Associate Professor) in the same institute. I authored 103 papers in well-reputed peer-reviewed journals in addition to numerous numbers of conference proceedings/presentations. I was invited as keynote/resource speaker/invited speakers in several international conferences. Besides, I hold more than 20 US patents (issued/published/filed). All of my publications has unique theme. As a result, it is very difficult to point out one /two papers among them. However, recently we published one article entitled “Preparation and Utilization of Jute‐Derived Carbon: A Short Review” in The Chemical Record (Impact factor:6.163). It also has been highlighted as hot topic: Carbon, Graphite and graphene in Advanced materials of Wiley publishing group. This article proof that Bangladeshi resources can play significant role to do good research for human being and publishing in good journal.
7.Scientific Bangladesh: Would you like to share your google scholar, LinkedIn or any other profile?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: Information about my patent can be found in this link https://patents.justia.com/inventor/md-abdul-aziz. Information about my research can be found in the ResearchGate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Md_Aziz8
My citation information is available in google scholar profile : https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RwWwyP0AAAAJ&hl=en
8.Scientific Bangladesh: How many researchers (PhDs and Masters) have you developed by this time? In other words, share your supervising story.
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: As a faculty in research centre, I did not get so much opportunity to supervise many students. I have guided two under grade, two MS and one Postdoc and guiding three PhD students now.
9.Scientific Bangladesh: What 1. qualities and 2. skills you expect in prospective researchers?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: I expect four things which are (i) firm determination, (ii) eagerness to learn and doing somethings for human-beings, (iii) excellent ideas, (iv) English writing ability.
10.Scientific Bangladesh: What are the professional organizations of researchers you involved with? How important it for researchers to join such professional bodies?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: Currently I am involved in Centre of Research Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT), King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia. It is wise to mention that King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals is one of the best universities in Middle East as well as in the world. As per my experience, CENT is a good place to do modern researches as it has most of the modern instruments and excellent infrastructure for nanomaterial-based researches.
11.Scientific Bangladesh: Do you think different professional bodies of scientists playing their due role in Bangladesh? What are your suggestions for the leading professional organizations of scientists?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: There have lacking willingness to do research with the available facilities. Bangladeshi Academician/researcher should come forward to utilize good students, Bangladeshi resources and existing problem which could be used as key factors for performing excellent researches. They should collaborate with foreign scholars as they have limited facilities. Besides, government should take step for increasing the funding with proper management. They should not allocate the research fund by knowing the face. They should allocate the fund by proper justification of the proposal merit. The proposal evaluator/administrator should have proper knowledge to evaluate the proposal also i..e government should recruit right person in right place.
12.Scientific Bangladesh: How important is leadership ability to become a great researcher? Should researchers take leadership training? did you ever get training on Leadership?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: Leadership is a factor for research. However, it should come by long-term training (from MS, PhD, Postdoc, handling own lab and visiting different well renowned lab in abroad, attending international conferences). It cannot be achieved by so-called short-term training. Leader of a lab should act as a chief executive officer of big technology-based company. Leader of a lab should have ability to (i) create excellent research idea, (ii) write research proposal, journal paper and patent, (iii) supervise fresh students to experienced researches, (iv) choose right instruments/materials, (v) communicate with different entities including national and international researchers/collaborators/institutions/funding agenesis/journal editors/vendors/manufacturers, etc. Overall leadership in research is completely different from conventional leadership.
113.Scientific Bangladesh: Would you like to add any more point for our readers?
Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz: I would like quote for young researcher “Do hard work for fulling your dream in research. Your dream will be true one day.”